1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to packaging and more particularly to securing tubing in a coil with an adhesive material.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past when a coil of tubing was to be stored in a coil, one tube was secured to the next by a band around the coiled tubing, such as twist ties, tape, frames, or other devices surrounding the entire coil. A coil of tubes has also been secured by one tube having a concave member and the adjacent tube having a convex member for fitting into the concave member. Coils of tubes have also been connected by adhesives placed on the outside of the tubes such that tangent tube portions are glued together. It is difficult to apply an adhesive to a tube and then coil it with tangential. portions glued together since the tangent space is a line which does not offer much surface area. At least one design called for a flattened tangential portion to provide for a larger surface area but the tube is then not round. There are no tubes secured together adhesively with the adhesive applied radially across the coiled tubes on one side of the coil.
There is a further need for a coiled tube to have an angled end portion for easy attachment of objects on the end of the tubing.
A coil of tubing is wound with tangential portions of the tubing adjacent in a template having a top half with a coiled trough and a bottom half with a coiled trough such that when the tubing is inserted into the template and pushed forward the template guides the tubing in a spiral such that it is coiled. The two templates may be slightly spaced during the tube insertion for ease of inserting the tube. When the template is filled with tubing the templates are moved together to firmly hold the coiled tubing in place and an adhesive is injected through the bottom template across the top of the coiled tubing to form tabs of adhesive which semicircularly surround the tubes and fill in the gaps therebetween and extending slightly above the tubes to secure the tubes to one another. When the tubes are so secured, the template is opened and the coiled tube is removed. The template halves are then ready to admit another section of tubing to be secured in a coil.
In a second embodiment the tubing is inserted in the templates as before but the adhesive is injected on both sides of the tubing semi circularly surrounding the tubes.
In a third embodiment the tubing is banded by totally surrounding the tubes.
In a fourth embodiment the tubing has an angled portion on the inner diameter to facilitate placing a lure in the end of the tubing. The angled portion of the template forces the tubing to angle away from the coil and then heat-treats the tubing so that it remains angled after release from the template.
In a fifth embodiment adhesive fills the gap between the inner diameter and the angled portion thus holding the angled portion in place.
In a sixth embodiment adhesive fills the gap between the inner diameter and the angled portion thus holding the angled portion in place as well as holding the angled portion near the beginning of the tubing.
In a seventh embodiment the tubing is spaced such that adhesive fills the area between the tubing for a larger surface area and better bond of adhesive to the tubing.
It is an object of the invention to secure a coil of tubing such that it will not uncoil by adhesively connecting the windings in the coil to each other.
It is an object of the invention to quickly and easily coil a length of tubing.
It is an object of the invention to use a small amount of adhesive to secure the coil.
It is an object of the invention to coil the tubing and secure the coil in the same template providing a one step process of coiling and securing the coil.
It is an object of the invention to quickly coil and secure the tubing.
It is an object of the invention to secure the coiled tubing in a low cost manner using a small amount of adhesive on one half of the tubing surface area.
It is an object of the invention to quickly and easily remove the adhesively bound coil from the templates.
It is a further object of the invention for the template to provide an angled portion of tubing on the inside of the coil to attach objects to the coil without interference from the rest of the coil.
It is still a further object of the invention to heat treat the tubing in the template to relieves stress in the angled portion such that the tubing maintains its angled shape on removal from the templates.
It is an object to provide adhesive for securing tubes on one side of the coil of tubes.
It is an object to provide adhesive for securing tubes on both sides of the coil of tubes.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a band of adhesive around the tubing for holding the tubing together.
It is an object of the invention to secure the tubes from uncoiling at the angled portion where the tubes join the coil.
It is an object of the invention to coil the tubes with a gap between the tubes for securing the tubing with adhesive totally surrounding the tubes.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.